State visitor arrivals to break 9 million mark for year. With just three days left in the year for visitors to step off planes, it’s expected that about 9.3 million tourists — a record — will have come to the state this year. Star-Advertiser.Hawaii visitor spending increases to $1.3B in November. Visitor spending in Hawaii increased 4.5 percent in November to $1.29 billion, while year-to-date spending rose 6.6 percent to $15.2 billion, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii visitor spending, traveler numbers went up this November. Whether it's to escape the cold on the mainland or just to relax on the beach, travelers continue to choose Hawaii as their vacation destination. KITV.

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The state auditor is slamming the Health Department for failing to properly communicate with its own divisions, health responders and the public during three major disease outbreaks in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Audit: Hawaii Needs To Get Its Act Together In Responding To Outbreaks. When it comes to communication and record keeping, the Health Department seems to start from scratch with each disease outbreak. Civil Beat.

Audit blasts outbreak responses. A breakdown in communication reported throughout the dengue fever outbreak on Hawaii Island between October 2015 and April 2016 were included in an audit of the Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division that was critical of several issues in the way the agency handled that and other outbreaks across the state. West Hawaii Today.

State Health Officials Criticized For Dengue Outbreak Response In Audit. The State Auditor details confusion and discord in the Department of Health during the 2015 Big Island dengue fever outbreak, as well as other outbreaks. Big Island Video News.

Audit slams state's fumbled response to 3 major outbreaks. The state Health Department experienced "communication breakdowns" and "inconsistent processes and procedures" in its response to three disease outbreaks in 2015 and 2016, a scathing new audit found. Hawaii News Now.

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Report: Most sirens worked during Hawaii warning test. A report on a Hawaii siren test that drew international attention amid a North Korea missile threat shows that 28 sirens statewide played the wrong sound or had other technical problems. Associated Press.

US Appeals Court: Feds Erred In Hawaii Fishery Expansion. Conservation groups had challenged a rule that doubled limits on how many endangered sea turtles could be accidentally hooked. Associated Press.

Hawaii Looks To Spur School Creativity With ‘Innovation Grants’. Up to $250,000 will be available for the right idea and a two-year plan to implement it. Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Schools invests $24M in community programs. Kamehameha Schools has awarded $24 million in community investment grants to support collaboration partners in more than 100 programs and projects during current fiscal year, which began July 1. Pacific Business News.

USS Wasp with F-35B makes stop on way to Japan. The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp pulled into Pearl Harbor on Thursday for a port visit on its way to Japan and the introduction of an F-35B ship-based joint strike fighter capability in the highly charged region that includes North Korea and China. Star-Advertiser.

A report on sea level rise vulnerabilities and adaptation has been released by the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, known as the Climate Commission, and the 304 pages are available online. Garden Island.

Climate Change's Impact on Hawaiian Fishpond Aquaculture. New research is shedding light about what needs to be done as the cultural resource is under threat by climate change. Hawaii Public Radio.

Young Brothers names Gas Co. executive to take over as president. Young Brothers Ltd., the state’s largest interisland cargo carrier, said today it has selected Joseph Boivin as its new president. Star-Advertiser.Oahu

New Year’s means higher taxes, fees, bus fares and minimum wage. The state and city are ringing in the new year by lightening your pocketbooks through new laws or rule changes that take effect Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Rush is on to prepay property taxes. Dozens of people waited in line for more than an hour Thursday at Honolulu Hale trying to beat an end-of-the-year deadline to save money by paying their 2017 property taxes early. Star-Advertiser.

City and County of Honolulu says bond refinancing saves taxpayers $20.7M. The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services said it closed on $253 million of tax-exempt advance refunding bonds last week that will be used to refinance existing debt for improvements to Oahu’s wastewater system. Pacific Business News.Leaky roofs still a problem at Honolulu airport, some say it’s getting worse. KHON2.

Kualoa Ranch plans include expanding visitors center, new buildings. Kualoa Ranch, a Windward Oahu visitor attraction that has also served as a filming location for such movies as “Jumanji” and “Jurassic World,” is planning to build a number of improvements, including an expanded visitors’ center, a new retail building, new tour depots and more than 7,000 square feet of office space. Pacific Business News.

Diamond Head Theatre redevelopment moves ahead with revised plan, new architect. Two years after launching a capital campaign to fund a redevelopment, Diamond Head Theatre is moving ahead with plans to build a new 500-seat theater building and has hired a Houston-based architecture firm that specializes in theater design. Pacific Business News.

Commentary: Did Hawaii Really Try To Thwart CNN’s Homelessness Report? The DLNR explains its reasons for not granting a permit for access to an encampment near the Waianae Boat Harbor. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Allure of isle boosts tourism. Tourism numbers were strong in November — and for the year overall statewide — particularly for the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

An endangered seabird is nesting 7,000 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mauna Loa on the Big Island. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui Visitor Spending and Arrivals Surpass 2016 Numbers. Visitor spending on Maui rose (+2.7% to $359.4 million) in November 2017, boosted by growth in visitor days (+5.8%), and visitor arrivals (+9.3% to 215,266), according to preliminary data released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui Now.

Maui close to record-breaking visitor arrival, spending totals. Maui visitor arrivals by air were up 9.3 percent in November to 215,266 and up 3.7 percent to 2,483,686 for the year’s first 11 months. Maui News.

Reef Safe Sunscreen on Maui. There’s now a movement in Maui County to ban sunscreen containing chemicals that scientists say are harming the reefs. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kamehameha Schools Invests $1.7 M in Maui Programs. Kamehameha Schools has awarded more than $1.7 million in community investment grants to support collaboration partners on Maui, Molokai and Lanai for the current fiscal year which began July 1. Maui Now.

More fish, lower sashimi prices predicted. Retailers say there should be plenty for New Year’s parties. Maui News.

KauaiVisitor spending continues climb. Kauai saw 95,900 visitors in November, an increase of 9.8 percent over November 2016. Through the first 11 months of 2017, Kauai has had 1.16 million visitors, a 7.5 percent increase over the same time frame last year. Garden Island.

Canines latest tool in effort to curb avian botulism. Avian botulism has been dropping ducks in outbreaks that have been sweeping the population since 2011 — and it’s not just koloa ducks. Garden Island.

Lawmakers question big pay hikes at UH. Some lawmakers are blasting a decision by the University of Hawaii to award $800,000 in pay raises and merit-based bonuses to university executives. Star-Advertiser.

End of tax write-off for premium seats may hit hard at UH. In good years UH has grossed as much as $4.4 million annually from its premium seat contributions and parking initiatives, or as much as 10 percent of the revenue it takes to run the 21-team athletic program in Manoa. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Education is thinking up new ways to attract teachers to the state to address an ongoing teacher shortage, starting with looking at teacher-exchange programs with other countries. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Service Association has hired two high-profile former state employees. Kathryn Matayoshi, former superintendent of the Department of Education, was hired to lead the sales team, and former state representative Pono Chong is joining Hawaii’s largest health plan as a lobbyist. Star-Advertiser.

A new Community-Based Renewable Energy program is designed to open the door for people previously shut out of the solar market. Hawaii’s long-awaited Community-Based Renewable Energy Program is designed to let residents, including renters, buy their electricity from off-site producers of renewable power. Civil Beat.

Rental Housing Report. A recent study that tracks rental housing across the country throws some light on the plight of families in Honolulu and Hilo as they struggle to make rent spending more than a third of their salary for housing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Filing error overvalues Island Air's assets. Hawaiian Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: HA), the parent of Hawaiian Airlines, last week agreed to pay $750,000 for the assets of its now defunct competitor. Due to the filing error, Hawaiian will now only have to pay $625,000. Pacific Business News.

The Rat Lungworm Task Force. The State Department of Health has created a Rat Lungworm Task Force to look at this daunting disease. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Suits Against Honolulu Cops Cite ‘Culture Of Silence’ At HPD. An attorney says the incidents that injured his clients could have been prevented if officers had been disciplined in the past. Civil Beat.

About 6,200 gallons of raw sewage spilled into Honolulu Harbor today after a clogged pipe caused waste water to seep out of a manhole near Pier 38, a Department of Environmental Services spokesman said. Star-Advertiser.

A former employee at Waianae's largest medical facility has been indicted for the alleged theft of thousands of boxes of diabetic test strips that were later sold on the black market. Hawaii News Now.

A 69-year-old woman accused of stealing millions of dollars from an Oahu non-profit pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday. Lola Jean Amorin is accused of taking $7 million from stealing millions of dollars from an Oahu non-profit pl The Arc in Hawaii, a non-profit that provides services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. KITV.

Efforts are underway to save the Falls of Clyde. A year and a half after she was impounded by the state Harbors Division, the historic Falls of Clyde may be heading home to her birthplace of Scotland this summer. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii DLNR

Albatross colony at Kaena Point gets new life. Conservationists last week teamed up with the U.S. Navy to translocate 21 Laysan albatross eggs to Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

For aircraft safety (and theirs), 21 albatross eggs relocated to Oahu. Twenty-one fertilized Laysan albatross eggs have been taken from a colony on Kauai, where the protected birds are an aircraft strike hazard. Hawaii News Now.

One of the state’s largest charities is worried it will have less money to help those in need next year because of tax changes that take effect next month. KHON2.

Paradise Park founder had knack for numbers and real estate. James Wong is probably most known for establishing Paradise Park in Manoa Valley. But he also developed real estate on Oahu, taught accounting at Chaminade College and in recent years lobbied for bills at the Legislature to improve affordable-housing production. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Five Big Island regions are especially vulnerable to contamination from cesspools, a state report says. The Dec. 19 report to the Legislature by the Department of Health says the Big Island is home to more than half of the state’s 87,900 cesspools, and has five of the 14 areas prioritized for cleanup. West Hawaii Today.

A driver’s insurance policy should cover the cost of replacing approximately 15 headstones damaged or destroyed after a vehicle plowed into Hilo’s Alae Cemetery last week, according to the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation. But the department is still asking family members to call so they can help replace the grave markers. Tribune-Herald.

Lost funding has put brakes on local Read Aloud program. Cost cutting has led to loss of vans, use of U-Haul vehicles. Maui News.

1,275 Rocks Returned to Haleakala in 2017. Letters of apology to Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, often accompany these rocks. Maui Now.

Kauai

Coastline changes. While geologists say shifting sands aren’t unusual, it’s a prediction of what could be coming in the next few decades and scientists say long-term studies of the area are necessary. Garden Island.

Expedia Travel featured Lihue as one of the best vacation destinations in America to escape the winter, mainly because its average temperatures in January reach a warm 78 degrees and drop to a comfortable 65 degrees. Garden Island.

State prison officials consider private partnerships. State prison officials are asking lawmakers for $1 million to study the potential for forming “public-private partnerships” that could be used to help expand and modernize the crowded state correctional system. Star-Advertiser.

State Finance Director Machida to retire, following 2 surgeries. State Director of Finance Wesley Machida, who has served as the state’s budget director since 2014 and previously led the state’s $16 billion public employees pension fund, will retire effective New Year’s Eve. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Ige Makes Two Cabinet Appointments. The governor named a temporary replacement for the outgoing State Budget Director, and a new head for the Human Resources Development Department. Civil Beat.

Reducing liability for rescue tube landowners. The threat of being sued may be stopping lifesaving equipment from getting to the waters edge, where it is needed the most. KITV.

Local banks to save millions from corporate tax cut. Hawaii’s four largest banks gave unexpected stocking stuffers to employees over the long holiday weekend in the form of bonuses and minimum wage increases. Star-Advertiser.

Price for Island Air’s assets to be reduced by $125,000. The sale of Island Air’s operating certificate and other assets is not going to generate as much money from Hawaiian Airlines’ parent company as initially expected. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Obama a sight on Oahu this holiday season. Unlike the eight years Obama spent in the Oval Office, there are no machine gun-mounted boats patrolling the waters off of Kailua this year. And there have been no presidential motorcades to snarl Oahu traffic. Star-Advertiser.

HECO asks for $6 million more from the state PUC. Hawaiian Electric Co. is asking the state Public Utilities Commission for slightly more than the 2.5 percent base-rate increase that was approved Dec. 15. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Try Building More Trust With The Homeless. In a new program, officers work with outreach workers to help steer the homeless to services rather than just write tickets. Civil Beat.

In just two years Christina Bush has solicited donations through Facebook and Instagram that have generated thousands of dollars’ worth of new and used donations for hundreds of homeless and low-income children and families across Oahu while building a small but loyal group of volunteers. Star-Advertiser.

Can Hawaii end homeless crisis for good? There's a new push to make affordable housing a reality. It's called the Puuhonua Villages Bill -- and the idea would tackle the homeless crisis head-on. KITV.

Councilwoman: Giant treehouse in Manoa is site of illegal 'retreat'. A Christmas Day accident at a Manoa treehouse is renewing calls by neighbors to investigate the landowner. Hawaii News Now.

Wastewater discharges prompt advisories for Pauoa, Kailua. The state health department advises the public to stay out of the waters of Pauoa Stream from Olomana Lane to Hialoa Street bridge due to wastewater discharge. Star-Advertiser.

The badly decomposed carcass of a humpback whale that nearly washed ashore at Haleiwa on Christmas Day, is in the process of being towed out to deep ocean waters this afternoon, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

County negotiates state approval to move forward with permanent homeless development. Hawaii County continues to move forward with plans to relocate Camp Kikaha out of the Old Kona Industrial Area and expand it to accommodate several hundred homeless on a permanent basis — but both the process and pace of that change have been altered in recent weeks. West Hawaii Today.

Rarest of the rare: Colony of endangered seabirds discovered at PTA. In a discovery that surprised researchers, a nest of the endangered band-rumped storm-petrel has been found at nearly 7,000 feet above sea level on Mauna Loa, making it the seabird’s only confirmed colony in the state. Tribune-Herald.

Rat lungworm disease can be devastating. The overwhelming majority of cases have been on Hawai'i Island. State legislators on that island have made several requests to fund ongoing research and outreach efforts at the UH Hilo College of Pharmacy and Hilo Medical Center. In the last legislative session, funds WERE allocated—but not to institutions on the Big Island. Hawaii Public Radio.UH-Hilo pharmacy study could have nationwide impact. A University of Hawaii at Hilo study designed to decrease medicine-related re-hospitalizations of older adults is garnering national attention. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Ag Shipments Down 65% in Third Quarter. Young Brothers, Limited announced that intrastate cargo volumes between Honolulu and six neighbor island ports increased 0.3% in the third quarter of 2017, compared to the same time last year. Maui Now.

Conflicts arise over harbor contract. A legislator as well as a member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources have ties to the public relations firm hired by the state to help determine redevelopment of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Lawmakers Are Used To Hearing About Potential Conflicts Of Interest. Legislators argue there are good reasons to vote even on issues where they may have potential conflicts. Associated Press.

State DOE on track with plan to meet new federal benchmarks. The Hawaii Department of Education says it’s working with federal education officials to finalize the state’s plan for complying with new requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Star-Advertiser.

Appeals court: Trump exceeded authority with travel ban. A federal appeals court panel has ruled that President Donald Trump once again exceeded the scope of his authority with his latest travel ban, but the judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put their decision on hold pending review by the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the ban involving six majority Muslim countries will remain in effect. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s Population Declines For The First Time In Several Years. Hawaii was one of eight states, plus Puerto Rico, that saw a net decline. Civil Beat.

Learmont To Replace Oshiro In Hawaii State House. She is a former legislative aide to the former longtime lawmaker, who resigned to join the labor board. Civil Beat.
Iwamoto seeks lieutenant governor post. Kim Coco Iwamoto says corporations spend millions of dollars to get their voices heard at the Hawaii Capitol. Garden Island.

More Tuna For Hawaii Fishing Boats In 2018. An international commission slightly expanded catch limits for U.S. longliners based in Honolulu but the industry is still hoping for more. Civil Beat.

Attorney General: Landowners must pay for use of their own land once sea rises. Oceanfront property owners who once were well shy of the protected state shoreline could find themselves having to purchase easements for their existing homes and structures such as seawalls as the sea creeps inland. West Hawaii Today.

California Approves Saito Extradition To Hawaii. The Hawaii State Hospital patient escaped in November and flew to the mainland. Civil Beat.

Young Brothers’ cargo volume edges up. The state’s largest interisland cargo carrier said in a report due out today that volume edged up 0.3 percent from the year-earlier period and is up just 0.7 percent for the first nine months of 2017. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Anderson, Pine eye 2020 mayor’s race to replace Caldwell. The jockeying has begun at Honolulu Hale over who will take over the third-floor corner office at City Hall after incumbent Mayor Kirk Caldwell leaves when his term runs out in 2020 — if not sooner. Star-Advertiser.

Privately owned memorial tour website under investigation. The state Office of Consumer Protection said it is investigating representations made by a website that touts itself as the “Pearl Harbor Visitors Bureau,” offers tours and says more than 750,000 visitors have been served. Star-Advertiser.

State scales back work on airport space. The state Department of Transportation is building a $40 million to $45 million structure under Gate 6 at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport that was meant to provide operating space for Island Air, but that space will now be left vacant in the wake of the airline’s bankruptcy. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has fallen short of making its full state reimbursement for the Hawaii Convention Center for the past two years and may extend the facility’s debt repayment schedule again — even though the agency still owes 79 percent of the center’s original $350 million balance. Star-Advertiser.

City sweetens tow deal. Starting New Year’s Day, the city will have a new contract in place to cover the dozens of police-initiated vehicle tows that occur across the island daily. Star-Advertiser.

Volunteers Keep One of Makiki’s Best-Kept Secrets Afloat. The state wants to convert Hawaii’s only volunteer-run public library into a state-run facility, but it’s waiting on a lease agreement from the city. Civil Beat.

A woman's struggles after a crash with an HPD officer renew questions over discipline. The renewed attention is coming at a time when a new chief, Susan Ballard, has taken the reins at the department and, according to one of her deputies, has ordered a review of HPD’s entire discipline system to bring more consistency to the process. Star-Advertiser.

Filipino WWII vets help select artist for monument on Oahu. After decades of injustice and neglect, Filipino WWII veterans are finally winning recognition for their dedication to Allied forces during the war. Star-Advertiser.

Preserving Hawaii's Railway History. The Hawaiian Railway Society in Ewa runs the only continuously operating historical railroad in the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

State officials and other dignitaries marked the opening of a new pier Friday at Hilo Harbor. The 602-foot-long reinforced concrete pier, built parallel to the shoreline, will allow workers to load and unload barges more safely and efficiently, and separates cargo from the docks used by cruise ships, officials said. Tribune-Herald.

Preserving historic Honokaa. The Historic Honokaa Town Project, which aims to preserve and commemorate the unique plantation buildings of Honokaa, is expected to place a total of 14 Honokaa entries on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places by early 2018, with seven of those properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well, said project coordinator Gerald De Mello. Tribune-Herald.

A draft burial treatment plan for iwi found on lands of the former Moaula Plantation were debated on Thursday. Big Island Video News.

The problem of feral pigs. Although feral pig populations on the Big Island appear to remain steady, for some residents, swine incursions will make the holiday a brown Christmas. Tribune-Herald.

Monday, December 25, 2017

As a journalist, I've taken on powerful politicians and big-bucks corporations. I've weighed in on weighty issues and haven't hesitated to call it as I've seen it.

Government officials have gone to federal prison under my watch; government contractors have lost multi-million-dollar jobs.

But there's one thing that absolutely terrifies me: Asking for money to support my work.

Journalists were always taught not to ask. That was a job for the Sales Office, the Advertising Department. We were taught to be scrupulous about avoiding possible conflicts of interest.Some journalists won't even take a cup of coffee from a source. That's starting to change, as bloggers join the news field and create one-person operations.

Unless you're public radio, asking for money isn't easy.

But every once in a while, I just have to grit my teeth and ask.

All Hawaii News is not public radio. Nor is it a nonprofit -- at least not on purpose. For nine years, it's just been my labor of love, five days a week.

Putting All Hawaii News together each day takes more than two hours of reading, culling and aggregating from almost 20 different media sources, so as to provide the top political and government news from all the Hawaiian Islands.

This is a one-woman show. I usually start at 5 a.m. so folks can read the news highlights with their morning coffee or on their smartphones during their daily commute. (Not while they're driving, of course.)

I've been doing this for nine years. Even on vacation.

Internet rumors to the contrary, I haven't made a fortune. But I appreciate every single person who finds I do a valuable service and supports my work. I am especially appreciative of the small cadre of consistent supporters.

So here's your chance, faithful readers.

It's the perfect holiday gift for the struggling blogger.

It would be very meaningful to me if those who find All Hawaii News a helpful news blog to keep you in touch in a hurry, or that @allhawaiinews is often first with political and government news updates, to help put a little jingle in my holiday.

I've moved All Hawaii News' "keep the news coming" donate button to the top right of the homepage. Just click and donate using PayPal or a major credit card. You can even click a button to send an automatic monthly payment.

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A donation no matter how modest would be a vote of confidence in my efforts.

Sexual misconduct complaints have hit 4 state lawmakers. Four Hawaii lawmakers have been the subject of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct complaints since 2008, an Associated Press investigation has found. Associated Press.

People keep leaving Hawaii in droves and this year was no exception. Some 13,537 more people left Hawaii for the mainland than moved in from another state from July 2016 to July 2017, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s strong tourism industry boosted the performance of hotels statewide in November with the neighbor islands in particular seeing a significant bump. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hotels experienced a 5.5 percent increase in revenue per available room in November compared to a year ago, while average daily rates and occupancy also grew, according to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii unemployment rate drops to record 2%. Hawaii’s unemployment rate is at a record low, dropping 0.2 percentage points from 2.2 percent in October, to 2 percent in November, according to figures released on Thursday by the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations. Pacific Business News.

Plans to add planes sent Island Air into nosedive. David Uchiyama, president and CEO of what had been Hawaii’s second-largest interisland airline, described the company’s downfall under questioning Thursday by an attorney and court-appointed trustee working to liquidate Island Air assets for the benefit of creditors. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

New Police Chief Reassigns Union President To Patrol Shift. Susan Ballard says she had concerns with how the department’s Peer Support Unit was led by SHOPO chief Tenari Maafala. Civil Beat.

Amid debate about homeless safe zones, 9 possible sites identified. As the state, city and police struggle to keep homeless campers off public property, some are now looking at whether Hawaii should offer homeless people a legal place to camp. Hawaii News Now.

Erosion at Sunset Beach could cause a “catastrophic” collapse, the state says. The severely eroding cliff and shoreline at Sunset Beach Park on Oahu’s North Shore have reached inland at an unprecedented level, forcing city officials to implement immediate safety measures and consider long-term solutions. Star-Advertiser.

Experts say the severe erosion taking place at Sunset Beach is reaching unprecedented levels, leaving city and state officials hustling to find both short- and long-term solutions to address the rising sea levels. Hawaii News Now.

Public urged to stay away with Sunset Beach erosion expected to get even worse. KHON2.

Free Wi-Fi debuts at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Coverage at the Honolulu airport includes the Overseas Terminal and Central Concourse on the first and second levels between ticket lobbies 4 to 8, gates 12 to 25 and baggage claims E to H. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airline's outgoing CEO says the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport isn't "adequate to fit the community" and needs to be modernized. KITV.

$20 Million Facelift For Popular UH Library Is Among Ige’s Requests. The governor’s supplemental budget proposal is one small step toward addressing the university system’s maintenance backlog. Civil Beat.

Hawaii IslandSalary Commission slows the raise train. Faced with the mayor and two County Council members urging caution, the Salary Commission on Thursday hiked salaries a little further in two departments, but postponed action on a dozen other positions — including the mayor and County Council members themselves — until its next meeting in January. West Hawaii Today.

Repair of Keopu Deep Well poised to rollback months-long North Kona water restriction. West Hawaii Today.

Wi-Fi planned for Hilo airport. The state Department of Transportation launched free Wi-Fi coverage Dec. 14 at several terminals in Honolulu’s airport and expects to extend that service to airports throughout the state, including Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, in 2018. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Rapidly increasing erosion on the Maui shoreline has threatened a cemetery temple building and swept away close to 100 gravestones. Associated Press.

Kauai

Navy and KIUC sign lease to develop solar farm. The Navy and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative have signed a lease to develop a 19.3-megawatt direct-current solar facility in conjunction with a 70 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system at the Pacific Missile Range Facility that will benefit the community and missile testing. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Missile Range Facility will be housing a new 19.3-megawatt solar facility in conjunction with a 70-megawatt hours battery energy storage system, thanks to an agreement between the U.S. Navy and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. Garden Island.

KIUC teams up with U.S. Navy to develop new solar-plus-storage facility on Hawaii's Garden Isle. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Thursday said it signed a lease with the U.S. Department of the Navy, Command Navy Installations Command and Naval Facilities Engineering Command for the development of a 19.3-megawatt solar facility along with a 70 megawatt-hours battery storage component. Pacific Business News.

Most Hawaii taxpayers will pay less in 2019 under new federal law. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy has compiled data for Hawaii that show a wide variety of possible effects of the bill on Hawaii taxpayers depending on their personal circumstances. Star-Advertiser.

Congressional representatives for Hawaii reacted with dismay to the $1.5 trillion tax package that the Senate and House passed Wednesday morning that is being billed as the first major overhaul of the nation’s tax laws since 1986. Tribune News Service.

Hawaii affordable housing developers dodge tax bullet, sort of. The final tax bill headed for President Donald Trump’s signature preserves the private activity bonds and low-income housing tax credits used by affordable housing developers in Hawaii and across the U.S. to build affordable rentals, but the slashing of the corporate tax rate could mean $1.7 billion in lost equity each year, according to a new estimate. Pacific Business News.

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The Trump administration has nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake as the new federal district judge for Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii study: Impacts of sea level rise already being felt — and it will only get worse. A new report is providing the first statewide assessment of the potential hazards and costly impacts to Hawaii's economy and shorelines with rising sea levels. Hawaii News Now.

2 Marines honored for use of drones in combat. Two Marines with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 at Kaneohe Bay received a first-of-its-kind recognition for the use of drones in a combat zone. Star-Advertiser.

DOH Approves Medical Cannabis Use for ALS Patients. The Hawai‘i Department of Health announced it has added Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS, to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis use. Maui Now.

Hawaiian Airlines announced today that it will no longer accept “smart” bags containing non-removable lithium-ion batteries as either checked or carry-on luggage, starting Jan. 15. Star-Advertiser.

Sun Country Airlines is planning to offer seasonal service from its home base in Minneapolis to Honolulu next year with a brief stopover in Los Angeles. Star-Advertiser.

United Airlines this week is expanding its portfolio of nonstop flights from Denver to Hawaii and to Mexico. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department, under its first female police chief, has named Lisa Mann to head its Investigative Bureau, becoming one of three women among HPD’s top brass. Star-Advertiser.

An estimated 50 chronically homeless people who were swept out of Kakaako Waterfront Park and its sister parks have erected dozens of tents and shelters in nearby Mother Waldron Park and along Pohukaina Street this week as city officials figure out what to do next with a homeless population they inherited from state officials. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council: Rail Beyond Ala Moana? The 9.5 billion dollar Honolulu Rail Transit Project is awaiting award of a contract to complete the line to Ala Moana Center. Hawaii Public Radio.

Councilman wants 19 more affordable units in Keeaumoku tower. Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson is endorsing a city administration suggestion that the developer of a planned residential tower on Keeaumoku Street make more homes in the building affordable to moderate- income residents. Star-Advertiser.

City Repaves Aggressively But Falls Behind On Other Roadwork. None of the nearly 1,800 lane-miles repaved in the last five years has been treated with materials routinely used to extend street life. Civil Beat.

Crime and Social Media Vigilantism. An emotional appeal to find suspects in the recent murder case of a North Shore woman led to two arrests thanks to social media posts. But can online calls to action go too far? Hawaii Public Radio.

A mumps outbreak has forced a Waianae charter school to schedule a longer winter break than originally planned. In a letter to parents, Kamaile Academy says five people are confirmed to have mumps with two more possible cases. KHON2.

Chef Mavro Restaurant is once again the only restaurant in Hawaii to be recognized in the Gayot 2017 Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii Health Officials ID Priorities For Cesspool Upgrades. In a report to the legiuslature, 14 priority areas of the state where cesspool upgrades are critically needed are identified, with many on Hawaii Island. Big Island Video News.

The Hawaii County Council will chip in $16,500 from members’ contingency funds to support rat lungworm disease research. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County officials say the long-awaited Mauna Kea Recreation Area’s Bunkhouses will be available for public use starting on January 3. Big Island Video News.

Members of East Hawaii’s Jewish community have launched an effort to build Hawaii Island’s first synagogue. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui Publisher Notches A First Amendment Win. The Hawaii Supreme Court tosses out a case against MauiTime’s Tommy Russo, who filmed cops on the job. Civil Beat.

Mokuhinia Draft Archaeological Survey Completed. The public is invited to review the Draft Archaeological Inventory Survey for the Mokuhinia Ecosystem Restoration Project, which was recently completed by Cultural Surveys Hawaii. Maui Now.

Erosion devouring mission property. Members of the 111-year-old Mantokuji Soto Zen Mission of Paia are hoping to save their temple building and cemetery from rapidly increasing erosion that has swept out into the shore break close to a hundred gravestones and claimed several acres of land over the years. Maui News.

Kauai

State ends cesspool program. One day after the state identified Hanalei as one of 14 priority areas where cesspool upgrades are critically needed to protect public health, the Department of Health has withdrawn a program to help residents in the area. Garden Island.

Councilmembers debate use of surplus GET funds for housing. A bill proposed by Councilman Derek Kawakami to use some of the projected surplus from the recently passed General Excise Tax increase towards affordable housing was withdrawn following a heated, 20-minute argument during the county council meeting Wednesday. Garden Island.

Unidentified Kealia object not bomb. It was a metal buoy, not an unexploded bomb, that has been rolling around at Kealia Beach over the last three days. Garden Island

Hawaiian Airlines’ parent to buy bankrupt Island Air’s assets for $750,000. In a surprise twist to the Island Air bankruptcy case, the trustee overseeing the liquidation filed a last-minute motion this morning disclosing that Hawaiian Airlines’ parent company has agreed to purchase the operating certificate and other assets of the failed company. Star-Advertiser.

‘Devastation’ Discovered In Deep Sea From Industrial Fishing. But without a $2 million donation, it may be the last expedition for the Hawaii-based research submarines and support vessel that conducted the study. Civil Beat.

A coalition of 17 Hawaii conservation supporters released its second annual state of the environment report Monday, urging greater support for environmental initiatives to help combat climate change already starting to emerge in the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Report: There Are Worse Places To Be Than Hawaii In A Health Emergency. The islands have room for improvement, but they fare well in a state-by-state comparison, according to a new survey. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Telcom expands broadband connection to 5,000 rural areas in Hawaii. In 2015, Hawaiian Telcom was awarded approximately $26 million in CAF Phase II support to continue expanding high-speed broadband internet service in Hawaii’s rural areas, mostly on the Neighbor Islands, through 2020. Pacific Business News.

Scoot: Inaugural Singapore through Osaka to Honolulu Flight. The first flight from Singapore through Osaka landed in Honolulu today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Caldwell looks to rein in ‘monster houses’. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is backing a call by some City Council members for a moratorium on large-scale houses in residential zones until permanent language can be imposed putting limits on the so-called “monster houses” that have been sprouting up in older Oahu neighborhoods recently. Star-Advertiser.

Kahaluu residents voice concerns over plans for homeless 'igloo' shelters. Plans to build "Dome Homes" for homeless people in Windward O'ahu are just waiting for a building permit from the city. KITV.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Builds A New-Look Police Commission. His nomination of Shannon Alivado, if confirmed, would mean all seven commissioners would be his appointees. Civil Beat.

‘Beagle Brigade’ sniffs out contraband at airport to prevent spread of pests. In the midst of holiday travel, the USDA is reminding the public of what can and cannot be transported to the mainland due to tropical pests in Hawaii that pose a threat to mainland agriculture. Star-Advertiser.

The former Sports Authority location in Kakaako will be transformed into an indoor marketplace next year for as many as 250 local vendors. Star-Advertiser.

Sexual predator abused children — and treated priests who did the same. Long-hidden documents show how the same man, prominent Honolulu psychiatrist Dr. Robert Browne, played a central role in two of Hawaii's biggest sex abuse scandals. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Gov. David Ige is urging the state Supreme Court to issue a quick decision on the Thirty Meter Telescope case. The governor is hoping the high court will fast track the case because the project faces a looming deadline. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking to fine a landowner nearly $65,000 for damage done to a plantation camp cemetery it alleges was caused by heavy machinery. But Ed Olson, whose trust purchased the land in 2015, says the equipment didn’t touch the headstones. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness voted Tuesday to provide $25,000 in state funds to Hawaii County to continue operating Camp Kikaha, a legal homeless encampment in Kona on Hawaii Island known as a “safe zone". Civil Beat.

Help is on the way for the troubled Hele-On bus system. The state Department of Transportation is sending another $419,817 in federal funds to the county, on top of the $700,000 already appropriated. Bill 87, set to be voted today by the County Council, will accept the money into county coffers. West Hawaii Today.

The W.M. Keck Observatory, which hosts two of the most powerful telescopes on Earth, is getting an upgrade to its adaptive optics system. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County in November issued its highest number of solar permits in 13 months as it continued to buck the downward trend on Oahu and Maui, the other two major PV markets in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Upcountry Maui is one of 14 priority areas where cesspool upgrades are critically needed to protect public health and the environment, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health cited in a report filed today with the Legislature. Maui Now.

Erosion devouring mission property. Members of the 111-year-old Mantokuji Soto Zen Mission of Paia are hoping to save their temple building and cemetery from rapidly increasing erosion that has swept out into the shore break close to a hundred gravestones and claimed several acres of land over the years. Maui News.

Kauai

No rat poison found in beached pilot whales. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Tuesday indicates that no detectable levels of rat poison were found in the livers of five pilot whales stranded on Kauai in October. Star-Advertiser.

No detectable levels of rat poison were found in the five pilot whales that died on Kauai in October, according to a Tuesday state announcement. Garden Island.

Two months after five pilot whales died following a stranding on a Kauai shoreline, new lab results are ruling out rat poison as the cause. Hawaii News Now.

More than 6,000 cesspools should be replaced on Kauai in order to improve water quality, according to the state Department of Health. Garden Island.

Search on for unexploded bomb at Kealia Beach. An unexploded bomb is reportedly floating near Kealia Beach, and officials with the state, county and Pacific Missile Range Facility are on the hunt. Garden Island.

Ige asks Legislature for $1.5B increase to CIP budget as part of supplemental budget proposal. Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Monday unveiled his supplemental budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 in which he's asking the state Legislature for increases of $85.5 million to the general operating budget and close to $1.5 billion to the capital improvement project budget in comparison to the biennium budget. Pacific Business News.

Education, homelessness among governor’s priorities for next fiscal year. KHON2.

Hawaii among worst states for economic freedom, study says. While Hawaii has seen a slight improvement, the state is still among one of the worst when it comes to economic freedom, according to a new report by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Commercial real estate owners in Hawaii could 'hit the jackpot' with tax bill. The tax deduction for businesses structured as limited-liability companies and other pass-through companies contained in the tax bill is expected to be a substantial benefit for some commercial real estate owners in Hawaii and the rest of the nation. Pacific Business News.

Reminiscent of previous holiday vacations, Obama spotted in Hawaii again. Just like when he was president, Barack Obama is in Hawaii for the holidays. Hawaii News Now.

The state Health Department has started its first statewide media campaign to prevent rat lungworm disease, following the most recent case involving a Hilo resident who contracted the virus after drinking from a water hose. There have been 18 laboratory-­confirmed cases statewide this year. The Big Island has seen the most cases at 11, followed by Maui at six — including two tourists — and Oahu at one. Star-Advertiser.

Why Vocational Education Is Back In Vogue in Some Hawaii Schools. With only about half of Hawaii’s high school graduates going to college, schools are placing more emphasis on career and technical training. Civil Beat.

Hawaii legislator proposes solution to preserve net neutrality protections. One Hawaii legislator has come up with a novel concept to sidestep the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal net neutrality protections — that Hawaii create a broadband network of its own and go into business for itself. West Hawaii Today.

State Representative Kaniela Saito Ing will propose legislation to explore the feasibility of public or community-owned, high-speed broadband in Hawaii. Maui Now.

Scoot’s first Singapore-Honolulu flight arrives today. Scoot, a low-cost airline out of Singapore, is scheduled to touch down this morning with the first direct flight out of that country to Honolulu in 25 years. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Residential tower’s plan for ‘poor door’ scrapped. The design for a planned residential tower near Walmart’s urban Honolulu store no longer has a front door for market-priced condominium buyers and a side door for moderate-income renters. Star-Advertiser.

Concerns over cost continue to delay vote on fire sprinkler bill. About 100 people packed Honolulu Hale Monday night to once again, voice their concerns over a bill mandating fire sprinklers in older high rise buildings. Hawaii News Now.

=====

HECO gets approval to raise customer fees by 2.5%. The state Public Utilities Commission has approved an interim base-rate increase by Hawaiian Electric Co. that will raise the typical monthly electrical bill for Oahu customers by about $2.82. Star-Advertiser.

Many prefer homelessness to living in a no-pets shelter. The Hawaiian Humane Society wants to find out how many pets are living among Oahu’s nearly 5,000 homeless people — and how their love of animals might be preventing them from getting housed. Star-Advertiser.

What To Do If You’re About To Be Homeless In Honolulu. Here are some suggestions about who to call for help. Civil Beat.

A&B confirms Pali Lanes site in Kailua to be redeveloped. Alexander & Baldwin plans to redevelop the Pali Lanes bowling alley site in Kailua into a central gathering place for the Windward Oahu town that will become the site for the Kailua farmers market, concerts and other community events. Pacific Business News.

Ex-UH professor gets 6-plus years for child porn. A former University of Hawaii mechanical engineering professor who disseminated child pornography over the internet using a file-sharing program is going to prison for more than six years. Star-Advertiser.

A clogged sewer line at Sand Island Beach Park caused a large sewage spill at the popular multi-use park over the weekend. Hawaii News Now.

Kaneohe home sales jump, Hawaii Kai prices rise in November. Sales of single-family homes in Kaneohe jumped by 44 percent in November, compared to last year, while sales of condominiums in Waikiki grew by 46 percent in November, according to the local market update from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

KITV’s Cruz moves to Hawaii Public Radio. Veteran TV news reporter Catherine Cruz has joined Hawaii Public Radio as co-host of its weekday talk program. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Kona’s airport is the Big Island winner in a proposed supplemental budget announced Monday by Gov. David Ige. The governor’s statewide approximately $14 billion operating budget is an $85.5 million increase, or about one-half percent more. In addition, $1.5 billion — a full 215 percent hike — is recommended for capital improvement projects statewide. West Hawaii Today.

Study sheds light on rat lungworm prevalence. New research released Monday shows that almost 94 percent of rats in the Hilo region are infested with Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the parasitic nematode that causes rat lungworm disease in humans. Tribune-Herald.

Hu Honua project faces delays after B&B owner sues Hawaii County over biomass plant. Hu Honua, the biomass power plant currently under construction on Hawaii’s Big Island, is facing yet another challenge. Pacific Business News.

Dozens denied entry to commencement. The University of Hawaii at Hilo might move next year’s fall commencement to a larger location after dozens of people were denied entry this year because Vulcan Gym was filled to capacity. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Ige’s budget includes airport, forest land money. Funds for Kahului Airport’s new tram, Maui County public hospitals, forest land and a lifeguard contract were the Maui County highlights in Gov. David Ige’s supplemental budget proposal unveiled Monday. Maui News.

Affordable housing in Lokahi project blessed. Nonprofit housing developer Lokahi Pacific held a blessing Monday for its new Mokuhau Affordable Subdivision, a cul-de-sac of 16 single-family homes that will go to first-time buyers. Maui News.

Iiwi Making Appearance in Lower Elevations. The endangered Iiwi, also known as the scarlet honeycreeper, have been making a rare appearance in residential areas Upcountry. Maui Now.

Kauai

Vehicle tax decreases proposed. A proposal to lower the county fuel tax and motor vehicle weight tax rates is on the agenda for Wednesday’s County Council meeting, set for 8:30 a.m. at the Historic County Building. Garden Island.

Kauai police responded to a report of a possible unexploded ordnance found at Kealia Beach on Monday. KITV.

About Me

Nancy Cook Lauer has more than 25 years experience as a journalist, winning national and state awards for newspapers in Florida and Hawaii. She publishes a daily state government news aggregate and commentary blog, All Hawaii News. Vice President of the Hawaii SPJ chapter as well as former president of the Big Island Press Club, Lauer has a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Old Dominion University. She earned her reporting chops covering the 2000 Bush v. Gore presidential election at Florida's ground zero and was recently honored with a Torch of Light award and a Hawaii state Senate commendation for uncovering questionable spending practices in local government.

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